dietersch



E. A. DIETERICH.

MECHANICAL DISPLAY DEVICE.

Patented Dec, 2, 91".

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6| 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. A. DIETERICH.

MEcHANlcAL DISPLAY DEVICE.

(y APPLICATION FILED NOVl 5,1917. l v Jl@ Patented Dec. 2,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. E l a5 'l' v az y EDWARD A. DIETERICH, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANICAL DISPLAY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application led November 6, 1917. Serial No. 200,646.

To'aZZ wtom'z't may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. DIETERICH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Mechanical Display Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mechanical display device designed for use in show windows, Christmas trees, toy structures and the like, and arranged to display merchandise, Christmas lights or candles or other objects in a very -attractive manner by causing such objects to travel along a predescribed endless course.

In order to produce the desired result, use is made of an endless guideway, an endless iexible carrier mounted in the said guideway, display articles held on the said carrier and mounted to slide on and proj ecting beyond the said guideway, and means to impart motion to the said carrier to cause the disp-lay articles to travel along the said guideway. t

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in Which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mechanical display device as applied to a Christmas tree and showing the display articles in the form of toy animals of diaphanous material and each containing an electric lamp.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of a portion of the mechanical display device and showing more particularly the driving means for the endless carrier;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the guideway, the carrier and one of the display articles, the section being on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form of the endless carrier and the means for imparting motion thereto;

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same on the line 6-6 of Fig. V5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation partly in section of a modified form of the endless carrier;

Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation o-f a moded .form of the guidewey, .the carrier and one of the display articles, part of the guideway being shown in elevation;

Fig. 9 is a cross section of the same; and

t F 1g. 10 is a plan view of the endless carrier .shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

The endless carrier 20 is made in sections fastened together at the ends by suitable coupllng means 21- andthe said carrier is provided with a base portion 22 mounted on a su1table support 23 which, as shown in Flg. 1, 1s also the support for the Christmas tree on which the mechanical display device 1s shown applied. The endless guidewa 20 is in the form of a trough-like structure aving a contracted open portion 25 on which is mounted to travel the base 30 of a display article or holder 31 for merchandise to be displayed. As shown, for instance, in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the display article 31 is in the form of a toy animal made of diaphanous material and containing an electric lamp 32 so as to illuminate such article while the latter travels along the guideway 20, as hereinafter more fully explained. .In order to propel the display article or holder 31 along the endless guideway 20 use is made of an endless carrier contained in the guideway 20 and engaged by the base 30 of the display article or holder 31. As shdwn in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the endless carrier is in the form of an endless flexible shaft 40 provided with a spiral 41 formed of wire fastened exteriorly on the shaft 40. The spiral 41 and a portion of the shaft 40 is engaged by a half nut 42 formed on the base 30 of the display article or holder 31 so that when theshaft 40 is rotated the spiral 41 acts on the half nut 42 and thus pushes the display article 31 along, with the base .30 thereof traveling on the open portion 25 of the guideway 20. The endless flexible shaft 4() is provided with a driving portion 50 having journals 51 mounted to turn in bearings 52 secured in the base 22 of the endless guideway 20 (see Fig. 2). On the portion 50 is secured or formed a pinion 53 of an external diameter correspondin to that of the shaft 40, as will be readi y understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. A gear wheel 54 is in mesh with vthe pinion 53 and is secured on a shaft 55 journaled in the base 22. On the shaft 55 is secured a worm wheel 56 in mesh with a worm 57 secured or formed on a transverse shaft 58 journaled in suitable bearings arranged on the base 22 (see Fig. 3). One end of the shaft 58 extends to the outside of the base 22 and is provided at its outer end with a suitable crank arm 59 adapted to be taken hold of'by the user for turning the worm shaft `58 with a view to rotate the shaft ,and the endless flexible shaft ing the han le. 59 it is evident that the said shaft may be turned by a motor of any approved construiction. e

In order to, supply the electric lamp 32 with electricity the Walls of the open portion 25 are provided With conductors 70, 71, preferably in the form of flat strips of metal lnsulated from the Wall of the open portlon 25 by insulating strips 72, 73. The'conductors 71 are connected by line vWires contained 1n a cable 74 with a suitablesource of electrical energy. From the foregolng it w1ll be. seen that when the mechanical .display device is in use a continuous traveling motion is given to the display articles or holders 31 and at Vthe same time they are illuminated to enhance the' appearance of the articles. es ecially during the night.

The exible endless carrier 40 lin the guideway 20 may be formed of a flexible shaft (see Fig..7) having a coating 81'of rubber or other insulating material and in which is embedded a spiral Wire or rail 82 projecting beyond the surface of the coating 8-1 and corresponding to the spiral Wire 41. Between adjacent convolutions of the rail 82 fits the base or shoe 83 of the display article or holder so that when the shaft 80 is turned the display article or holder is moved along in the endless guidevvay 20 the same as the article or holder 31, as previously eX- plained. In the coating 81 and spaced from the rail 82 is embedded a conductor in the form of a Wireor rail 85 flush at its outer edge with the surface of the coating 81.

This conductor is engaged by the contact -86 held insulated in the base 83 and connected with the electric lamp 32 carried by the display article or holder. The return circuit of Ithe electric lamp is by Way of the guideway 20. The operation is practically the same as above described relative to the endless guideway 20, the carrier 40 and the display article or holder 31.

nstead of the flexible shaft 40 or 80, to be turned as above described,` use may be made of a flexible carrier 90 (see Figs. 5 and 6) mounted to travel bodily in the guideway 20. For the purpose mentioned this carrier 90 is made of spiral Wire provided at intervals with equal y spaced teeth or projections 91 in mesh with a double toothed or sprocket -vvheel 92 secured on a crank 93 adapted to be turned by hand or by power as desired. When the shaft 93 is rotated a traveling motion is given to the carrier 90. On sundry of the teeth or projections 91 are secured the bases 30 of the articles or holders 31 so that the latter are caused to travel along the endless carrier 90. The doubletoothed or sprocket wheel 92 is providedv -With a contact ring 94 held between insulated blocks 95 fastened by bolts 96 to the wheel 92. The contact ring 94 is in engagement With the carrier 90 and with a spring-pressed Contact pin 97 held in a bearin 98-and connected with a source of elec tr1cal energy to supply the lamps 32 with. electrlcity by way of the contact pin 97, ring 94, carrier 90 and the bases 30 of the display article or holder 31. The return circuit is by Wayofthe guidewa 20 and the housing 99 on which the cran 93 is jour naled.

The endless carrier may also be in the form of a chain 100 (see Figs. 8, 9 and 10) mounted to travel in a guidevv'aylOl made in sections linked together to render the guideway 101 flexible. The endless chain 100 is adapted to carry display articlesor holders 102 each provided with an electric lamp 103. Suitable means such as a sprocket wheel 104 (see Fig. 9) may be employed for imparting a traveling motion to the endless chain 100. The chain 100 is provided at the junctions of its links with insulating spools 105 supporting a-conductor 106 in the form of a Wire Wrapped once aroundeach Spool 105. The spools 105 move in engagement with the insulated rin held on the sprocket Wheel 104 similar to the sprocket Wheel 92 previously described. The conductor 106 is in engagementl with the contact 111 of the electric lamp 103 to supplythe latter With electricity practically in the same manner as above described relative to the formshown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent 1. A mechanical display device, comprising an endless guideway, an endless iieXible carrier mounted in the said guideway, diaphanous display articles held on the said carrier and mounted to slide on and projecting beyond the said guideway, means imparting motion to the said carrier to Vcause the display articles to travel along the guideway, electric lamps-in the articles, and means for supplying electricity to the lamps through the said carrier.

2. A mechanical display device, comprising an endless guideway open along one face, an endless `flexible carrier mounted in the said guideway, display diaphanous articles mounted to slide on the said guide- Way and projecting through-the open face thereof, the said display articles having means engaging the said endless carrier, means imparting moti@ .t0 the .Said endless ist . means for supplying electricity to the lamps -through the said carrier.

3. A mechanical display device, comprising Aan endless guideway havin a contracted portionopen along the entire length of the guideway, an endless flexible screw extending in the said guidewa and havin a portion journaled in the gui eway, disp ay` articles mounted to slide on they said contraeted open portion of the guideway and engaging thesaid screw, and a driven gearing mounted on the guideway and having a pinion secured on the said journaled portion of the screw.,

4. A mechanical display device, comprising an endless guideway having a contracted portion open along the entire length of the guideway, an endless flexible screw extending in the said guideway and having a portion journaled in the guideway, display ar-.

ticles mounted to slideon the said contracted open portion of the guideway and engaging the said screw, each article be.

lng of a diaphanous material and provided with an electric lamp in electric contact" with the said guideway, the latter forming an electric conductor, a source of electrical energy connected with the said`guideway, and a driven gearing mounted on the guideway and having a pinion secured on the said jouraled portion of the screw.

5. A mechanical display device, comprising an endless guideway, an endless flexible shaft extending in the said guideway and provided with a spiral,-driving means for rotating the said shaft,A `and a display article slidable on the guideway and having means engaging the said spiral to move the said article along the said guideway.

6. A mechamcal display device, comprising an endless guideway, an endless flexible shaft extending in the said ideway and provided with a spiral, a portion of the said Ashaft being j ournaled in the guideway, driving means connected with the said journaled portion to rotate the said shaft, and a display article mounted to slide on the said guideway and having a member engaging the said shaft and itsspiral to propel the article along the guidewayl on rotatlng the said shaft.

7. A mechanical display device, comprising an endless guideway, an endless flexible carrier mounted in the said guideway, display articles held on the said carrier and mounted to slide on and projecting beyond the said guideway, means imparting motion to the said carrier to cause the display articles to travel along the guideway, an electric lamp mounted on the said display articles, and means supplying electrical energy to the said lamps by way of the said carrier.

8. A mechanical display device, comprising an endless guideway, an endless flexible shaft extending in the said guideway and provided with a spiral, driving means for rotating the said shaft, a display article slidable on the guideway and having means engaging the said spiral to move the said article along the said guideway, an electric lamp mounted on the said display article, and a conductor mounted on the said ilexible shaft and in contact with the said electric lamp.

9. A mechanical display device, comprising an endless guideway, an endless flexible shaft provided with a coating, a spiral carrier rail embedded in the coating, a display article slidable on the guideway and provided with an electric lamp, the said dis- -play article engaging the said carrier rail, 

